Electric heat strip

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Have you added this to yours?
I like the heat strip in our Scamp but we have one of the older, quieter Coleman Polar Cub air conditioners that aren't too loud. I've heard comments that the Dometic is pretty loud so I'm thinking to leave the heat strip off the build sheet until I see how loud it really is, and then decide on getting the heat strip later or just using a space heater.

Nope. I thought about it as I had the electric heat strip in the Polar Cub in the Casita and liked it. But the fan in the Dometic is too loud to be running for a heater.

I use a small ceramic heater instead and love it. Portable so we can point it where the heat is needed most, easily stored when we don't need it, and quiet.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[daniel108]

We have this on our 2019 E21. It is louder than the propane heater, but either one is pretty loud anyway, so it's just more white noise when sleeping. It seems to be completely capable of keeping our trailer warm in the summer temps (lows in the 50's) that we've tested it so far. I use it to save propane although the ROI calculation would probably say the payback is a long way off. I have no temptation to try to find room for a separate space heater with 4 people shuffling around inside.

[John in Santa Cruz]

for those few times we're in a campground with hookups, I have a small quiet fan heater that has 700 and 1500 watt modes, I generally use the fan on low, and hte heat on 700(low), and it usually keeps the E21 cozy.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes, these units are pretty well draft proof and well insulated, a low wattage heater will keep you warm until the nights when the furnace may be needed,

[75thRanger]

Just use the furnace and don't worry about other devices creating problems.

[Radar1]

We had finally decided on having Escape install the optional heat strip. Unfortunately with the Covid supply issues, the heat strip didn't come in by the completion date so they didn't install it and refunded our money.
Since we picked it up in Montana during an early cold spell, we got plenty of use of the propane furnace, which I am happy to say is much quieter than the Suburban furnace we had on our Scamp.
We did take one of our two electric space heaters with us, but the one we took went ZAP and popped a circuit breaker overnight and ended up in the trash. Wish we had bought both of them since I ended up buying another one while we were still in chilly SD.
I've been searching for a part number for a heat strip to add now that we have a heat stripless Escape, but the model number of our A/C is 640310 and the heat strip posted earlier does not show that model (it shows 640312 so I wonder if we have a different A/C than the earlier ones?). I sent an email to Dometic to see if they have a part number that will work for ours.

[cpaharley2008]

In every one of my Escapes I installed a small 700-1000 watt electric wall heater where I had an electric outlet. Thermostatically controlled, it operates quietly in the night. Something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Broan-NuTone-...0N77BG9P96TTZF

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Radar1

We had finally decided on having Escape install the optional heat strip. Unfortunately with the Covid supply issues, the heat strip didn't come in by the completion date so they didn't install it and refunded our money.
Since we picked it up in Montana during an early cold spell, we got plenty of use of the propane furnace, which I am happy to say is much quieter than the Suburban furnace we had on our Scamp.
We did take one of our two electric space heaters with us, but the one we took went ZAP and popped a circuit breaker overnight and ended up in the trash. Wish we had bought both of them since I ended up buying another one while we were still in chilly SD.
I've been searching for a part number for a heat strip to add now that we have a heat stripless Escape, but the model number of our A/C is 640310 and the heat strip posted earlier does not show that model (it shows 640312 so I wonder if we have a different A/C than the earlier ones?). I sent an email to Dometic to see if they have a part number that will work for ours.

I hope your search is successful. I was told that the A/C model # Escape uses is not designed to accept the after market heat strip but I don’t if that’s factual or that someone was trying to sell me a whole new rooftop unit
Good luck !

[TZBrown]

We had a heat strip in our last trailer.
It worked pretty well but the noise from the AC fan was unbearable. We went back to using the cube heaters on a thermostat

[Vermilye]

Originally Posted by TZBrown

We had a heat strip in our last trailer.
It worked pretty well but the noise from the AC fan was unbearable. We went back to using the cube heaters on a thermostat

2X. You must run the AC fan to use the heating strip...

[Radar1]

Well, I heard back from Dometic, and they confirmed that the model 640310 air conditioner I have does not have a heat strip available (640312 does though). That will save me the trouble of ordering and installing a heat strip, and then not wanting to use it because it's too noisy.
I do like the idea of a wall mounted one like Jim mentioned so might install one of those just so we don't have a tripping hazard with a plug-in type. In the meantime we do have a couple of plug-in types to keep us warm.

Jim, were you happy with yours in the dinette location on your 19'?

Here's the response I got from Dometic today;
CustomerSupportCenter <customersupportcenter@dometic.com> 1:56 PM (6 hours ago) to me

Good afternoon. The 640310 Ac does not have the option for the heat strip.

Shelley

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Well, I heard back from Dometic, and they confirmed that the model 640310 air conditioner I have does not have a heat strip available (640312 does though). That will save me the trouble of ordering and installing a heat strip, and then not wanting to use it because it's too noisy.
I do like the idea of a wall mounted one like Jim mentioned so might install one of those just so we don't have a tripping hazard with a plug-in type. In the meantime we do have a couple of plug-in types to keep us warm.

Jim, were you happy with yours in the dinette location on your 19'?

Here's the response I got from Dometic today;
CustomerSupportCenter <customersupportcenter@dometic.com> 1:56 PM (6 hours ago) to me

Good afternoon. The 640310 Ac does not have the option for the heat strip.

Shelley

Thank you for confirming what I was told
I’ve looked at several electric wall heaters but so far the UL listed clearances just don’t work out with the trailer’s dimensions. Next time I will know better than to assume !

[HABBERDABBER]

I've not experienced any issue with a dinky ceramic electric heater at the head of the table, at night, or at any time, for that matter. A recessed unit looks to be swell, but I already have a couple of the ceramic heaters, so for me, Why Bother?
I''m guessing the ceramic 1100W heaters work well down to the low 20's. After that, well, we do have...ahhhh....a furnace.


I'm a bit of a minimalist, so this is only more of my outlook.

[cpaharley2008]

Yes. the dinette in the E19 is ideal for the built in heater, takes little space and keeps your feet warm.....just make sure you have electric nearby....

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Yes. the dinette in the E19 is ideal for the built in heater, takes little space and keeps your feet warm.....just make sure you have electric nearby....

I agree that a heater there in the 19 works quite well. I ran the cord from mine to a portable electric baseboard thermostat hung near the bed. That was much more convenient to reach and adjust. Never did see a place that I thought was suitable to install a built-in heater in the 19.

The 21C, on the other hand, has the perfect place, and it's proven to be very well suited to our needs. We don't often have power but when we do the heater, being centrally located, is all we need. The thermostat is also centrally mounted on the drawer stack.

Ron

Ron

[Radar1]

Thanks to Ed (Eggscape) for pointing out the empty space under the propane furnace on the 19', and Jim (CPAHarley2008) for mentioning the Broan electric heater, I've found a solution to having permanent electric heat without having to use a portable space heater, or running a noisy heat strip that Dometic claims won't work with my air conditioner anyway.


I temporarily popped the propane detector off, and using an Endoscope and careful measuring, discovered that the Broan heater that Jim recommended would fit in the space under the propane furnace.


Although the heater can run at 1500 watts, I decided to just use the 750 watt option to see if that will work well enough. If I decide I need 1500 watts then I can just remove the grill and reconnect one wire. I added a 20 amp circuit breaker for this line just in case I decide to use the full 1500 watts in the future.



There was enough room between the framing lumber to attach one side of the heater to the left frame, and add a 3/8" spacer on the right frame for a secure fit.


There was also enough flex in the propane lines that I was able to move them further back than shown in the photos.

[Eggscape]

That is a nice clean install.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Thanks to Ed (Eggscape) for pointing out the empty space under the propane furnace on the 19', and Jim (CPAHarley2008) for mentioning the Broan electric heater, I've found a solution to having permanent electric heat without having to use a portable space heater, or running a noisy heat strip that Dometic claims won't work with my air conditioner anyway.


I temporarily popped the propane detector off, and using an Endoscope and careful measuring, discovered that the Broan heater that Jim recommended would fit in the space under the propane furnace.


Although the heater can run at 1500 watts, I decided to just use the 750 watt option to see if that will work well enough. If I decide I need 1500 watts then I can just remove the grill and reconnect one wire. I added a 20 amp circuit breaker for this line just in case I decide to use the full 1500 watts in the future.



There was enough room between the framing lumber to attach one side of the heater to the left frame, and add a 3/8" spacer on the right frame for a secure fit.


There was also enough flex in the propane lines that I was able to move them further back than shown in the photos.

very nice install. What is the model number of the Broan heater you used. The units I have found you need 240 volts to use the 1500 watt option,But would run on 120 volt at 750 watts.

[Radar1]

Originally Posted by NEWYORKHILLBILLY

very nice install. What is the model number of the Broan heater you used. The units I have found you need 240 volts to use the 1500 watt option,But would run on 120 volt at 750 watts.

Thanks, it's the Broan model 174. It comes as a 120 volt/1500 watt heater, but it provides instructions on how to easily change to 750 watts.
The heater has two elements and to get the 750 watt option, you just unplug one of them, so basically if I run it at 750 watts I have an on board spare element built in.

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by Radar1

Thanks, it's the Broan model 174. It comes as a 120 volt/1500 watt heater, but it provides instructions on how to easily change to 750 watts.
The heater has two elements and to get the 750 watt option, you just unplug one of them, so basically if I run it at 750 watts I have an on board spare element built in.

Thank you this is very helpful. I like this install over a portable unit as its out of the way and I would not have to worry about dog tipping it over.